Semantically, according to the source of sound, onomotopoeic words fall into a very few definite groups. Many verbs denote sounds produced by human beings in the process of communication or in expressing their feelings:

babble  бормотать 

chatter болтать

giggle   хихикать 

grunt     ворчать

grumble жаловаться

murmur шептать

mutter брюзжать

titter      хихикать 

whine     хныкать

whisper  шептать

Then there are sounds produced by animals, birds and insects.

Eg.

buzz           жужжать

cackle        кудахтать

croak          квакать

hiss             свистеть

honk           хрюкать

howl             выть

moo             мычать 

mew            мяукать

neigh           ржать

purr              мурлыкать

roar              рычать

R. Southey's poem "How Does the Water Come Down at Lodore" is a classical example of the stylistic possibilities offered by onomatopoeia: the words in it sound an echo of what the poet sees and describes.

Here it comes sparkling,

And there it flies darkling...

Eddying and whisking,

Spouting and frisking,...

And whizzing and hissing, ...

And rattling and battling, ...

And guggling and struggling,  ...

And bubbling and troubling and doubling ,

And rushing and flushing and brushing snd gushing,

And flapping and rapping and clapping and slapping...

And thumping and pumping and bumping and jumping,

And dashing and flashing and splashing and clashing...

And at once and all o'er, with a mighty uproar,

And this way the water comes down at Lodore.

Once being coined, onomatopoeic words lend themselves easily to further word-building and to semantic development. They readily develop figurative meanings.

Croak, for instance, means 'to make a deep harsh sound'. In its direct meaning the verb is used about frogs and ravens. Metaphorically it may be used about a hoarse human voice. A further transfer makes the verb synonymous to such expressions as 'to protest dismally', 'to grumble dourly', ' to predict evil'.